Control mechanism for combination washers and driers



L. L. MILLER Oct, 27, 1953 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION WASHERS AND DRIERS Filed Oct. 13, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

LEWIS L. MILLER.

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 27, 1953 1.. 1... MILLER 2,656,695

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION WASHERS AND DRIERS Filed Oct. 13, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 E A INVENTOR. LEWIS L. MILLER.

wam

ATTO RNlEY.

Oct. 27, 1953 IL 2,656,695

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION WASHERS AND DRIERS Filed Oct. 13, 1948 6 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR.

LEWIS L. Ml LLER Al IO RNEY.

Oct. 27, 1953 L. L. MILLER 2,655,695

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION WASHERS AND DRIERS Filed Oct. 13, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 lsi OU'TERHDIAL TIME IMPULSES (45 SECONDS) INVENTOR. LEWIS L. MILLER.

ATTO RN-EY Oct. 27, 1953 L. L. MILLER 695 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION WASHERS AND DRIERS Filed 001;- 15, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. LEWIS L. MILLER.

ATTORNEY.

IOI

Oct. 27, 1953 L. L. MILLER 2,656,695

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMBINATION WASHERS AND DRIERS Filed Oct. 15, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

LEWIS L. MILLER.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 27, 1953 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR, COMBINATION WASHERS AND DRIERS Lewis L. Miller, South Bend, 11111., assi'gnor, by imcsne assignments, to Avco Manufacturing Corporation, New York, Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 13, 1948, Serial No. 54,278

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination washer and dryer. The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine wherein the clothes may be washed and dried in the same container, the drying operation automatically following the washing Without attention by an operator.

It is also an object to provide .a combination washing and drying machine wherein control mechanism for washing and drying are so related and arranged that the drying portion of the cycle may be preset and so arranged as to start in operation automatically upon the "termination of the washing cycle and to continue through a definite time of drying.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear more fully from the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and wherein: I

Figure l is a rear View of a combined washer and dryer constructed according to the present invention, the view showing a mechanism for air circulation, condensing of moisture, and mechanism for inlet of water into the machine as well as the timing devices for the wash and drying cycle and the temperature preselector for the drying cycle.

Figure 2 is a front vie-w of th machine partially in section shown in Figure 1 including a View of the air circulating conduit for drying together with a showing of the position of the inlet into the tub.

Figure 3 is a cross section through line of Figure 2 showing the air circulating conduit, the washing machine tub and cylinder, and the general relationship of the several parts including the water inlet.

Figure 4 is a View through line Ll- 4 of Figure Figure .5 is a view through line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing the motor driv and other units including the drain pump and drain valve and the solenoid for actuating said pump and valve.

Figure 6 is a cycle diagram showing the cycle of operations for both washing and drying and showing the time in both minutes and in degrees of rotation of the timer, during which each portion of the cycle is in operation.

Figure 7 is the wiring diagram showing relatiohship of the several parts and the electrical connections thereto.

Figure 8 is a view or the dryer timer through line B=B of Figure 1 showing the cam contained therein V Figure 9 is a view of the wash timer through line 9-49 .of Figure J. showing the five cams containd therein.

Figure 10 is a viewof the thermostatic temperature regulator through line l0|'0 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a tub lflhas a clothes cylinder l I mounted for rotation therein. As indicated in Figures -2 and 3, the clothes cylinder H has a perforated outer periphery and a screened front wall [2 which will allow air to enter therein. The clothes cylinder H is mounted for rotation and is supported from its backwall within the tub H by means of a shaft I 3 and rotated by a pulley l4, belt 15., electric motor l6, and transmission I]. The bottom of the tub I0 is provided with an opening leading to .a tube which is herein referred to .as a condenser tube 19. Tube I9 is curved from the bottom of the sump l8 in a generally vertical direction and is mounted at the rear or tub Ill, and its top end connects with the central inlet portion of a centrifugal type blower housing 20. Shown particularly in Figure 3 is ablower wheel 2| mounted inside the housing 20 at the juncture of the condenser tube 19 and a horizontal conduit 22 and which is driven by a motor 23 mounted above the blower housing 20-. As shown in Figure '3 the horizontally positioned duct 29 has a plurality of electric heating elements 24 supported therein. Also shown in Figure 3 is an opening 25 in the wall of tub Ill which is provided in order that the conduit 22 will be in communication with the interior of the tub l0 and also with the interior of the clothes cylinder H through the screened front wall l2 thereof.

Figures 2 and 3 disclose the water inlet system with a nozzle 26 mounted on the blower housin 20 by means of a bracket 21. The nozzle is directed toward an opening 28 and a blower housing 26 in such a manner that the stream of water emitting from the nozzle 25 and entering the blower housing 20 through the opening 28 will be divided with a major portion of the water flowing through the conduit 22, over the heating element's, 24, and into the tub Ill through the opening 25 the-rein, while the lesser portion of the water will deflected downward through the condensing tube 19 and. into the tub H! through the sump I8. As shown in Figure 1 water from .a hot water conduit 29 and a cold water conduit 30 enters a mixing valve 3! controlled by a solenoid 32. The details of such a mixing valve, although rorming no part in the invention, maybe of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,269,259 or 2,310,975. Water from the hot and cold condults 2:9 and 30 is mixed the valve 3'! to achieve the desired temperature, and is carried to the water inlet nozzle 26 by a hose Thus it is apparent that all the water that enters the machine for washing purposes passes either through the heating conduit 22 and over the heating elements 25, or down the condenser conduit 19 and into the tub it through the sump 16.

Leading from the cold water conduit shown in Figure 1 is a narrow tube M which extends to a bracket mounted on the side of the condenser tube. An outlet end 35 or the narrow tube 34 is directed to an opening in the side of the condenser tube ES. Water carried by the tube 34 is controlled by the solenoid 51 which is actuated only when the machine is used for drying as will be further described later in the specification. Water entering the condenser tube from this source forms a film on the inner surface of the tube i5 as it travels downward leaving room for upward passage of air in the center of the tube and thereby acts to condense moisture and remove lint from the air passing through the tube is.

As previously mentioned, this machine is designed to wash, rinse and dry clothing contained therein automatically and. without attention by an operator. For the purpose of closing the electrical circuit as shown in Figure '1 to cause the several control mechanisms to be actuated in the desired sequence, a motor driven cam switch mechanism shown in Figure 9 is employed. Such mechanism uses preferably a selfstarting synchronous electric motor such as is normally used in electric clocks.

As shown in Figure 9, a motor 5! drives an escapement 52 which may be of the general type disclosed in Patent Number 2,227,133 and Which will cause a cam carrying shaft 53 to be advanced in rotation, preferably in increments, with an impulse moving said shaft 53 one incremerit each seconds. The shaft 53 is enclosed inside a box 5 3, and mounted on the shaft 53 where it extends outside the box 54 is a dial which serves as an indicator, as a means to start the machine, and to vary the setting as will later appear.

Mounted in spaced relationship on the shaft 53'are five cams, 6i, 62, 63, 64 and 65. Adja cent each of these five cams is a spring switch member shown in the wiring diagram in Figure '1 as 66 for cam 6|, 61 for 62, 68 for 63, 69 for 64, and ill for 55. The spring switch members are in continual contact with the outer circumference of the cams and it is apparent from inspection of Figure 7 that due to the lands and grooves in the circumference of the cams rotation of cam 6i will cause spring switch member to come in contact with either contact 11 or contact 12 or to be held in a position between the two contacts ii and 12; rotation of cam 62 will cause spring switch 61 to close contact 13 or 14; rotation of cam 53 will cause spring switch 68 to close contact 15 or 16 or to remain in a neutral position between said contacts, rotation of cam 64 will cause spring switch 69 to close con tact 11 or 18 or to remain in neutral position between said contact; and rotation of cam 65 will cause spring switch 15 to close contact 19' with each division ofthe circle representing 5v degrees of rotation or one 45 second impulse of r the timer, whereas the inner numbered dial indicates time in minutes with each division of the circle representing 1 minute. The shaded portion of each circle indicates the time during which the function or element represented by that circle is actuated.

The cam disks 61 to 65 shown in Figure 7 have been cut to provide cycles of operation as indicated by the chart in Figure 6. This chart and the cutting of the cam disks 6| to 65 have been based on experience as to the length of time desirable for each operation of the automatic machine. a

In putting the combined washing and drying machine in operation, the timer dial 55 shown in Figure 9, is rotated through 20 degrees of the off period. As shown in Figure '7 this breaks contacts 66-12, 61-14 and 68-15 and closes contacts 66-11, 61-13. After 45 seconds motor 5| causes the cams to index 5 degrees, closing contacts 69-11. Closing contacts 66-1l supplies current to the wash timer motor 5| closing contact 61-13 supplies current to wash motor l6 and contacts 68 and 69; and closing contact 69-11 supplies current to actuate the solenoid 32, thereby causing hot and cold water to be mixed in the valve 3| and admitted into the tub it through the opening 28. It will be noted that the solenoid 32 may be actuated to admit water into the machine only when the tub I0 is empty, since when the tub E6 is full, a float opens a switch 8! breaking the circuit to the mixing valve solenoid 32. The float 86 is en-- closed in a housing 82 and is connected with the tub it through the sump 18 by means of the hose 83 as shown in Figure 2. 1

After 12 more impulses or 9 minutes contact Etc-l"? separate due to rotation of the cam 64 to prevent admission of additional wash water. Forty five seconds later contacts 68-15 close for five impulses of A minute to open a drain valve 84 by actuation of solenoid 85. At the expiration of 1 minutes of the drain period contacts 16-19 and 69-11 close for an assured spray. This is called an assured spray since water will be admitted regardless of whether or not the switch 8! controlled by the float 86 is closed or not to insure that even if the float chamber 82 is full of soap suds and that consequently the float 86 is at the top to open the switch 6|, nevertheless water will be admitted to the machine in order to disperse any suds remaining therein. Contacts 69-11 and10-19 open again after 45 seconds ending the assured spray and 45 seconds later contacts 69-18 close for 45 seconds thereby actuating a solenoid 86 to initiate the spin cycle. At the endof the spin the period of energization for drain solenoid ends with contacts 69-18 and 65-15 also open. Contacts 66-11 also open breaking the circuit to the wash timer 5! and contact 13 thus completing the soak cycle.

Further manual rotation of about 10 degrees of the timer dial 55 initiates the wash period by again closing contacts 66-1l supplying current to wash timer 5! and contact 13 as previously described. Contacts 13-61 have remained closed from the soak cycle into the present wash cycle supplying current to contacts 68 and 59 and contacts 63-16 are closed after 45 seconds to supply current to a selector switch 81. If the selector switch, embodying contacts 88, 89 and 90 is set for hot, contacts 86-89 are closed energizing a hot water solenoid 9| as long as the float switch BI is closed. After a period of 18 aesaoos impulses or 13 minutes of the wash period. contacts 68-16 open to prevent further addition of wash water. Forty-five seconds later contacts 68-15 close energizing the drain solenoid 85 for a period of 4 /2 minutes. After 1 minutes contacts 69-11 and 10-19 close providing another assured spray in the same manher as before by actuating the solenoid 32. The duration of the assured spray is 45 seconds, after which contacts 69-11 and 10-19 open and the spray is terminated, since the solenoid 32 is no longer energized. After another 45 second period contacts 69-18 close for 1 minutes to provide for a spin by actuating the spin solenoid 8B.

As the spin and drain periods are ended by breaking contacts 68-15 and 69-16 contacts 69-11 close for 3 and minutes to actuate solenoid 32 thereby to admit mixed water as long as float switch 8I is closed. At the end of this period contacts 68-15 are closed for 3 minutes to energize drain solenoid 85.

After 1 minutes of the drain period, contacts 69-18 close energizing spin solenoid 06. As is apparent from inspection of the wiring diagram, the spin solenoid can never be energized when the tub is full, since otherwise the switch BI controlled by the float 80 will be open and the circuit to the spin solenoid 86 will not be complete. This is necessary, since to actuate the high speed spinning of the cylinder II when the tub I was full of water might result in an undue strain on the motor and in excessive vibration. At the conclusion of the 3 minute drain cycle, contacts 66-15 and 69-18 open deenergizing the drain solenoid 85 and the spin solenoid 86. Simultaneous with the opening of contacts 60-15 and 69-18 is the closing of contacts 69-11 to actuate the mixed water solenoid 32 as long as switch BI is closed by action of the float 80. At the end of this period contacts 15-68 again close to again actuate the drain solenoid 85. Contacts 15-63 now remain closed and effective for 6 minutes which is all that now remains of the combined washing, rinsing, and extracting periods. However, at the end of 1 minutes of this drain period contacts 69-10 close energizing solenoid 66 which remains energized for 4 minutes at the end of which time contacts 69-18 open again to deenergize the spin solenoid 86. At the same time contacts 61-13 open and 61-14 close, thus deenergizing all portions of the unit except the timer motor which is still energized through contacts 66-1 I Forty-five seconds later contacts 66-1! break and 66-12 close thereby ending the wash cycle.

Closing of contacts 66-12 energizes contact 92 which is actuated by the cam 93, the cam 93: being rotated by the dryer timer motor 94. If the dryer has not been set previously by manually rotating the dial 95 or is not set at this time, all components of the unit remain at rest. However, if the dryer timer has been set, contact 92 has been closed with contact 96 and contact 96 has been closed with contact 91. Closing contacts 92-96 energizes the dryer timer motor 94, blower motor 23, condenser spray sole.- noid 31 for cold water and contacts 61, 69 and 89. When contact 92 is energized through contacts 66-12 as previously stated contacts 61-14 are closed energizing the main drive motor I6 and contacts 16-68. are likewise closed to actuate the drain solenoid 85., When contact 91 is energized. the solenoid operating the relay thermostat. I00.. shown in more detail in Figure 10, is energized and the arm supporting contact I02.

actuated. This relay thermostat is provided with contacts IOI and I02, with contacts I0I bein stationary and contacts I02 being moveable and being normally urged toward contact IN by the toggle spring I02A. During the washing, rinsing, and extracting cycles contact I 02 is held away from contact III! by means of the rod I03 which is slidably mounted through a clearance hole in A spring I04 normally urges the rod I03 to the right as seen in Figure 10, and since the rod I03 is provided with a head I05 larger than the clearance hole in the arm carrying contact I02 through which I the rod I03 is inserted, the action of the spring.

I left, with the rod I03 being pushed through the clearance hole in the contact I02, thus freeing the contact I02 and permitting it to close with contact I0i. Closing of contacts IOI and I02 permits current to flow to the heating elements 24 as shown on Figure '1. When the heating elements 24 have produced sufilcient heat to exceed a predetermined critical temperature within the tub I0, fluid in a bulb I08 mounted within the tub I0 and shown in Figures 2 and 10, ex

pands, and is carried through a tube I09 to a bellows I I0 which is likewise caused to expand. A projection on the bellows is in contact with the lower portion of the arm supporting contact I02, and expansion of the bellows causes the projection to push the contact I02 away from contact IOI, thus breaking the circuit and cutting the current to the heating elements 24.

After the heating element has been off a sufficient length of time to permit the temperature to fall below the critical temperature, the liquid in the bulb I08 contracts, as does the bellows I10, and the projection III is moved away from the contact I02, thus permitting it to again close with contact "II. The critical temperature may be varied by turning a knob II2 attached to a shaft II3. Rotation of the knob [I2 changes the distance between the projection III and the lower part of the contact I02, thus varying the temperature at which the projection I I I will push the contact I02 away from contact IOI and thereby break the circuits. At. the expiration of all but 5 minutes of the time for which the drying timer has been set, contacts 92 and 96 break with contact 91, deenergizing the relay thermostat I00 and shutting on the heater 24. Current to the heater may also be cut cit by the high limit switch II'Il controlled by a thermostat containing a bi-metal element which is mounted on a wall of the duct 22 of the machine and which is so constructed as to cut off the current by causing deenergization of solenoid I06 if the tem perature exceeds a predetermined maximum. The former (bulb) thermostat, as described, is adjustable to operate at various temperatures and functions as a heat control mechanism, whereas the high limit switch H4 is not adjustable and serves only as a safety device to open the circuit to relay solenoid I06 and thereby cause the opening of the heater circuit if the temperature in the duct 22 becomes excessively high, which heat will be transferred to the switch I I4 through the wall of the duct 22.

Upon completion of the five minutes overrun period, contacts 92 and 96 break, deenergizing all the components of the machine. Thus the ma chine is left in a position such that turning of either timereither its wash timer, or the dryer timerwill cause resumption of the function controlled thereby.

I claim:

1. In a combination washing and drying machine, a control mechanism therefor comprising, in combination, an electrical circuit for said ma chine, a sequential controller in said circuit adapted to provide for automatic operation of said machine through a series of washing, rinsing, and extraction periods; a timer in said circuit for controlling operation of said machine when said machine is used as a dryer; a control member in said circuit which may be manually and independently pre-set to cause said timer and said machine to automatically commence operation as a dryer after termination of said washing, riming and extracting periods.

2. In a combined washing, rinsing, extraction, and drying machine, an electrical circuit for said machine, a controller for automatically causing said machine to operate through its washing, rinsing, and extracting stages; an indicator moveable with the controller to show the position thereof and the stage of operation being performed; clock mechanism in said circuit for driving the controller and for stopping said rinsing, and extracting period; atimer in said circuit for controlling operation of said machine when said machine is used as a dryer; a control member in said circuit which may be manually and independently pre-set to cause said timer and said machine to automaticallycommence operation as a dryer after termination of said washihg'rinsing, and extraction periods.

3. In a combined washingrinsing, extracting, and drying machine; an electrical circuit for said machine, a controller in said circuit for automatically causing said machine to operate through its washing, rinsing, and extracting periods; a control member in said circuit which may be manually and independently pre-set to cause said machine to automatically commence operation as'a dryer after termination of said washing, rinsing, and extraction periods; a heating element in said circuit for said dryer; a

thermostat in said circuit to control said heating element; means for preventing said thermostat from functioning when said machine is used for-washing, rinsing, and extracting; means to cause said thermostat to operate when said ma-- chine is used for drying.

4. In a combined washing, rinsing, extracting, and drying machine of the type described; an electrical circuit for said machine, a heating element in said circuit for use when said machine is used for drying; a thermostat in said circuit to control said heating element; means for preventing said thermostat from functioning when said machine is used for washing, rinsing, and extracting; means in said circuit to cause said thermostat to operate when said machine is used for drying and presettable means to actuate said element automatically after said washing, rinsing V and extracting.

matically. causing said machine to operate through its washing, rinsing and extracting stages; a manually presettable control member in said circuit to cause said machine to automatically commence operation as a dryer after termination of said Washing, rinsing, and extraction periods; a heating element in said circuit for use when said machine is used for drying; a thermostat in said circuit to control said heating element; and a contact in said thermostat for closing the circuit through said heating element; upon actuation of said control member.

6. In a combined washing, rinsing, extracting, and drying machine; an electrical circuit for said machine, a controller in said circuit for automatically causing said machine to operate through its washing, rinsing, and extracting stages; a control member in said circuit which may be manually and independently pro-set to cause said machine to automatically commence operation as a dryer after termination of said washing, rinsing, and extraction periods; a heating element in said circuit for use when said 7 machine is used for drying; a thermostat in said controller after termination of said washing,

circuit to control said heating element; a contact in said thermostat for closing the circuit through said heating element; a spring normally holding said contact in an open position; a solenoid in said circuit for closing said contact against the action of said spring; thermostatic means for opening said contact when the temperature in said machine exceeds a predetermined critical temperature; and manual means to vary said critical temperature above which said contact will be opened.

7. In a combination washing and drying machine, a sequential controller for automatic operation of said machine through a series of washing, rinsing and extraction periods, drying means in said machine, presettable means to selective- 1y and automatically actuate said drying means after said periods, and presettable means to control the duration or operation of said drying means.

8. In a combination laundry washing and dry ing machine a sequential controller for automatic operation of said machine through a series of washing, rinsing and extraction periods, heat drying means in said machine for dryingsaid laundry, presettable means to automatically actuate said heat drying means after completion of said periods, and manual and independent pres'ettable means to control the duration of operation of said heat drying means, 7

9. In a combination laundry washing and drying machine a sequential controller for automatic operation of said machine through a series of washing, rinsing and extraction periods, heat drying means in said machine for drying said laundry after said extraction period, means to automatically actuate said drying means after said extraction period, thermostatic means in operative relation with said drying means, said thermostatic means having means responsive to temperature to deactuate said drying means after a predetermined temperature of the interior of said machine has been reached, and means to preset the duration of operation of said drying means.

10. In a combination washing and drying machine, a sequential controller for automatic operation of said machine through a series of washing, rinsing and extraction periods, heat drying means in said machine, presettable means to actuate said drying means and to control the duration of operation of said drying means, and thermostatic means to control the temperature of said drying means.

11. In a combination washing and drying machine, a sequential controller for automatic operation of said machine through a series of washing, rinsing and extraction periods, a dryer in said machine, said dryer including air circulation and vapor condensation means, presettable means to automatically actuate said dryer after said periods, and presettable means to automatically deactuate said dryer after a predetermined period of time.

LEWIS L. MILLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Sawyer Oct. 9, 1934 Biebel Dec. 3, 1935 Crago Apr. 18, 1939 Bassett, Jr Dec. 17, 1940 Perry May 19, 1942 Breckenbridge Aug. 31, 1943 Geldhof et al. Apr. 25, 1944 Wales Jan. 13, 1948 Bradley, Jr Feb. 7, 1950 Kahn D60. 12, 1950 

